Key holder



v Jlll 18," 1946. J."H. ROTHERAINE 2,402,347

AKEYHOILDER Filed oct. 2e, 1944 Patented June 18,` 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT vOFFICE KEY HOLDER Jerome Hale Rotheraine, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application October 26, 1944, Serial No. 560,419V

(Cl. 'Z0-456) 1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to a keyholder and relates particularly to a keyholder having a pusher or cam whereby the keys may be readily identified.

It has been common to place keys upon a ring type of holder, and it is, also, common to place keys in a casing wherein individual keyholders are placed. The prior art devices do not permit ready identification of the keys, and if they do, the devices are usually bulky. The present invention arranges the keys so that they do not occupy a large volume of space and the individual .key may be readily identified. It is important to identify and select a particular key when one desires to enter his homeor garage during the night, when no illumination is available, otherwise it is diiicult to find the correct key and the fumbling for the key in the darkness consumes time and results in irritation which only adds to the diliculty of nding the correct key.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a keyholder whereby the individual keys may be readily identified.

It is another object of my invention to provide a keyholder wherein the keys are compactly held.

Other objects of my invention are to provide an improved device of the character described, that ls easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly eiicient in operation.

Wlith the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a keyholder embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of my keyholder Viewed along the lines 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of my keyholder as viewed along the lines 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cam for identifying and pushing a key.

Fig. 5 is another type of cam for identifying and pushing the key.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the keyholder wherein the type of cam of Fig. 4 has elevated a. key.

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the keyholder wherein the cam of Fig. 5 elevates a key.

Referring now in detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters identify similar parts, I show in Fig. 1, a stamped out metal casing designated as 50, which has parallel side walls, an open top, and a partially closed bottom.

2 The interior of the casing 50 is sub-divided int a plurality of compartments by spacers 29. The spacers 2li, separate keys K so that the keys do not impinge one upon the other when oscillated. The spacers 20 mounted within the casing 5I) are pierced by a cam or pusher supporting rivet, bolt, or rod Ill, and a removable rivet, bolt, or screw 3S) upon which the keys K are pivotally mounted.

Each of the keys K are inserted so thatV a wall of the keyholder or key case is to each side of the key and each key is mounted on a. Vscrew or bolt 3i? so that it may oscillate thereabout. In one position the key is nestled in the casing and in 'its other position the key extends outside of the casing so that it may be used in a keyhole or lock.

The pushers or cams A and B are pivotally mounted on the rod or rivet Ill, each being within a single compartment defined by the spacer 20 and a side wall of the keyholder or the spacers 20. Each pusher is cooperative with but a single key. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the keyholder is arranged for ve keys K, but any number of keys may be used and the keyholder may be constructed to hold any number of pushers and keys.

Each of the cams A has a side handle I2, upon which force may be exerted, as by the finger, to move the long arm portion vI4 which contacts the key K so that the key complementary to that pusher moves from the keyholder. When the key is pushed back into the holder the pusher must first be down against the'bottom of the keyholder since the handle I2 engages the side of the keyholder where the holding ring or extension I8 is located.

Each of the pushers or cams B are similar in construction to pusher or cam A, but the pusher B has a bottom arm 22 to which moves the pusher end I4.

The cams A and B are located adjacent to one another in individual compartments, so that the cams A are alternately to one another and cam B is between cams A. Hence, to select a particulai` key, the arms I2, may be counted to the selected key or the arms 22 may be counted on the bottom to the selected key when the open face is held upwardly.

As an alternate, small notches may be placed in each arm I2 or 22 to identify the particular pusher.

Although my invention has been described vin considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope said pushers having a side extension integrally 10 l4 formed therewith and the remainder having a bottom extension integrally formed thereon, said side extension and bottom extension pushers be- A ing alternately mounted whereby the predetermined pusher may be selected by the sense of feeling, and said key being adapted to have one end thereof completely elevated from said keyholder.

JEROME HALE RO'II-IERAINE. 

